Samsung is committed to Android and Windows Phone 8 and it is getting ready to launch its first Windows Phone 8-based smartphone - the ATIV Odyssey - on Verizon for $49.99 with a new 2-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate. The device has some pretty impressive features for the $49.99 price of admission.

The Samsung ATIV Odyssey is the first Windows Phone 8 smartphone Samsung has launched in the U.S. through a partnership with Verizon. The Samsung ATIV Odyssey features a Super AMOLED display, 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 4G LTE connectivity all for a very low price.

The display on the ATIV will feature a Super AMOLED 4-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. The Odyssey is a world phone and gives users the ability to call and email from more than 220 countries around the world. The ATIV Odyssey's 1.5 GHz dual-core processor will keep Windows Phone 8 and all of your applications running very smoothly. The built-in 4G LTE radio will provide users with blazing fast speeds to browse the Web, stream music, email, message, and more.

A quick rundown of the specs reveals a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and full 1080p recording and 1080p playback, 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat, Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11 a/b/g/n), 8GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, microSD slot supporting microSD cards up to 64GB, and a 2,100 mAh battery.

The ATIV Odyssey seems like a great smartphone for a first time smartphone user, especially those who are interested in Windows Phone 8. It offers some impressive specs all wrapped up in that sweet $49.99 price point consumers love. The Samsung ATIV Odyssey will be available in Verizon stores and online beginning Jan. 24.